Stalk

Stalk is a term with several related meanings in botany and biology. In botany, a stalk is the main stem or a slender, elongated structure that supports leaves, flowers, or fruits and connects them to the rest of the plant. Examples include the stalk of a celery plant, the peduncle that bears a flower cluster, and the stalk (stipe) that supports a mushroom cap. In general, the stalk is the part that provides attachment and a conduit for nutrients between the organ and the plant body.

As a verb, stalk means to pursue someone or something stealthily and persistently, often with harmful intent, such as stalking a person or an animal. It can also mean to move in a slow, quiet, and deliberate manner, sometimes with a sense of menace. Stalking can be illegal and is regarded as harassment in many jurisdictions; safety resources emphasize avoidance and reporting if stalking occurs.

In everyday language, the term covers any slender supporting part of a plant or fungus, including mushroom stalks and celery stalks, and more generally can refer to a stalk-like support structure in various contexts.